It is traditional at Harvey Mudd College for the upperclassmen to occasionally play large pranks. In 1995, We of East Dorm decided to take all of the doorknobs off the rooms of the frosh and hide them around the dorm. Following are the rules I created for the Great Doorknob Hunt, which were handed to each frosh as they returned from a trying and difficult exam.

To aid in this venture, I dressed as the Ether Bunny:

-Patri

Greetings, frosh.

Now that you know how hard this school really is...

The upperclassmen of East have decided, because of the deep & heartfelt love we bear you, to add to your pain, misery, and suffering. Therefore, thenceforth, and suchwise we have taken the doorknob off each and every room in East which houses a member of the class of '99 (officially, that is - we don't want to know where you really sleep or how little sleep you get there.) These knobs have been hidden --- you probably want to find them. If you don't care about personal safety or security you could choose to ignore our actions, but do you really trust us with your doors unlocked & unlockable?

To put it simply, in deference to those who are still experiencing brain-fry:

ITS A DOORKNOB HUNT! WOO-HOO! YEE-HAW! PARTY ON!

The rules are fairly simple, but I am going to make them long and complicated:

1) The upperclassperson in charge of the Hunt at any time shall be known as the Doorknob Bunny. If you have questions, comments, or complaints, see it. The Bunny shall be identified by its pink slippers and oversized ears. If you ask it something that is covered in The Rules, it will laugh at you, so read them.

2) If you hate us, deplore us, detest us, will not stoop or condescend to play our silly little games, believe this is a childish exercise in futility, or for some urgent reason must have your doorknob RIGHT NOW DAMMIT! Don't Panic. We know where they all are, see the Bunny on duty with your excuse, and it may, if you ask nicely, tell you how to find your doorknob.

3) When you find a doorknob, you must test it with your key to see if it is yours. They all look pretty much identical. Bummer, eh?

4) Because of rule 2, if you find a knob that isn't yours, you may, at your own discretion, a) leave it where it is, or b) return it to the central courtyard area, which could be seen as a kind gesture, or an act that rudely deprives someone of the fun of finding it themselves. YOU MAY NOT REHIDE IT! We need to know where they are just in case there is a problem. Re-hiding a doorknob will be seen as a violation of the HMC Honor Code.

5) The doorknobs are hidden within the perimeters of East Dorm. Example legal areas include (but are not limited to) the laundry room, the courtyard, the upstairs hallways, and the lounge. Places like the roof, behind the dorm, the rooms of upperclassmen, and the Mudd Pool are not legal, although a lot of interesting things happen there.

6) No refreshments or entertainment will be provided on your behalf. YOU are entertaining US.

Corollary 6a) Upperclassmen from this dorm and others may gawk, stare, or laugh. This is highly encouraged.

7) Upon completion of this arduous task, when you return to the courtyard with your knob, you should give the Bunny a handshake, a hug, a kiss, or some combination of the above. If you need to borrow tools to repair your door, the Bunny should be able to get you a screwdriver, perhaps even (oooh! aaah! ohhh!) a powered one. You thought we did this by hand? Silly Frosh!

Last Modified: May 5th, 1997